Stories from Thursday, December 30, 2004

The year of 2004 will not easily be forgotten by generations to come. Here is a look back at the year from January to June from the pages of The Piggott Times. January -- The Junior Lady Mohawks defeat Valley View, 36-35, to win first place in the finals of the Junior Nettleton Shootout...

It was a tough night for the Piggott Mohawks on Tuesday of last week in the NEA Tournament at Jonesboro against the number four-seeded Cave City Cavemen. Cave City earned the victory, winning 61-44. The Cavemen led the entire way, going up 39-22 at the half. Piggott trailed 50-34 after three...

The Lady Mohawks outscored the Lady Indians of Delaplaine 20-15 in the final quarter to earn the 68-60 victory in the NEA Tournament on Monday, Dec. 27. Delaplaine held a 13-10 lead after one quarter. Piggott went up after that, leading the rest of the way -- 32-27 and 48-45...

Don Settlemoir, 66, of St. Francis died Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004, in the St. Bernard's Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro. He was born Dec. 29, 1937, in St. Francis, the son of the late Orla M. and Ada Boyd Settlemoir. He was united in marriage to Carolyn Brown on April 11, 1968. They had two children...

Imogene "Genie" Bradshaw, 43, of Piggott died Friday, Dec. 24, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 8, 1961, in Piggott, the daughter of the late Prentice O. and Gladys Woods Weller. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Fay Higdon; and one brother, Prentice E. Weller...

Eulalia Mayo, 83, of Jonesboro, formerly of Piggott, died Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004, in St. Augustine, Fla. She was born Feb. 2, 1921, in Pollard, the daughter of the late Louie Seth and Lula Mae Hoggard Settlemoir. She was united in marriage to Lester Mayo on April 29, 1939. They had two children...

Leniel Adrian Dover, 81, of Pollard died Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital. He was born July 4, 1923, in Pollard, the son of the late Claud and Katie Maples Dover. He was united in marriage to Nora Bessie Dover on March 12, 1941. They had three children...

Edmon A. Johnson, 77, of Paducah, Ky., formerly of Piggott, died Monday, Dec. 20, 2004, in Paducah. He was born Sept. 16, 1927, in Piggott, the son of the late Jimmy and Delcie Boshears Johnson. He was united in marriage to Jean Kathrine Davis. They had one daughter...

Carroll "Dink" Gurley of Piggott died Dec. 13, 2004. He was born Sept. 1, 1938, in Greenway, the son of the late Orville and Dorothy Webster Gurley. He is survived by two sons, Kevin Gurley and wife, Tracy, of Piggott and Michael Gurley of Piggott; four grandchildren, Allison and Reese Gurley, and Kristin Crittenden and Tabitha Gurley; one sister, Barbara Renard and husband, Don, of Madison, Ala.; one brother, Ronnie Gurley and wife, Kay, of Greenway; and other relatives and friends...

At approximately 3:53 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20, the Clay County Sheriff's Department received a 911 call from the conductor on a Union Pacific train saying that the train had been shot as it traveled through Knobel. The conductor also stated that he saw two individuals dressed in camoflage clothing...

Approximately 50 people along with oxen, sheep, goats, llamas and donkeys braved the bitter cold Dec. 17-19 to participate in the 20th annual presentation of "The Journey to Bethlehem" at Hitt's Chapel General Baptist Church. Pastor Charles Richardson was participating in his fourth live nativity and Associate Pastor Shawn Parker was in his sixth year of participating in the ministry...

Rev. Jerry Dewayne Gregory, 63, of Marmaduke, formerly of Rector, died Saturday, Dec. 25, 2004, at the V.A. Medical Center. He was born June 30, 1941, in Corning to the late Urby and Leoffie (Williams) Gregory. He was a General Baptist minister, most recently pastoring at Blue Cross General Baptist Church in Paragould. ...

Evelyn Luttrell, 75, of Marmaduke died Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004. She was born June 3, 1929, in Marmaduke to the late Pat and Murtie Wyatt. She was a homemaker and of the Methodist faith. Also preceding her in death were her husband, Bob Luttrell; one son, Bill Wyatt; three brothers, Charlie, Carlos and Louis Wyatt, and three sisters, Bobie White, Ellen Ramer and Dealie Hale...

Fred Lee Crum, 75, of Rector died Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004, in Jonesboro. He was born Dec. 14, 1929, at White Oak to the late Fred and Etta Crum. He also was preceded in death by one son, Gerald Crum; one sister, Emmie Lawson, and one grandchild, Garth Crum...

The Greyhounds of Marmaduke were winners in their contest against the Salem Greyhounds by the score of 68-56 in the NEA tournament at the Convocation Center in Jonesboro on Monday, Dec. 27. The game had been originally slated for Dec. 22, but icy conditions forced a delay. After trailing 17-12 after the first quarter, Marmaduke rallied, leading the rest of the way -- 27-24 and 48-35...

Lucy Gertrude Huckabay Essman, 90, of Rector died Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004, at Paragould. She was born Jan. 9, 1914, in Marmaduke. She was a homemaker and of the General Baptist faith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jasper William Essman; seven brothers, Curtis, William, Marvin, Chester, Lester, James and Charles Huckabay; four sisters, Beatrice Batten, Anna Jordan, Vivian Hoggard and Vesta England, and one granddaughter, Josie Essman...

Imogene "Genie" Bradshaw, 43, of Piggott died Friday, Dec. 24, 2004, in the Piggott Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 8, 1961, in Piggott, the daughter of the late Prentice O. and Gladys Woods Weller. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by one sister, Fay Higdon; and one brother, Prentice E. Weller...

The ice and snow that found its way to the area have been causing problems for travelers. Road conditions have made routine trips into difficult journeys. Without the hard work of the Rector Street Department, however, things would have been much worse...

The passage of a year is measured by more than just the cost of a new calendar. As we begin a new year, we are reminded of the events and happenings that have shaped our lives during the past 12 months. Who we are as individuals and a community is influenced heavily by the changes our lives have gone through in that time, just as the years that have passed before have helped to mold us into who and what we are today...

The trial of accused murderer John Patrick Dickinson of Marmaduke has been postponed. A change of venue from Clay County to Craighead County was granted in a pre-trial hearing Nov. 22 in Greene County, according to District Prosecutor Brent Davis of Jonesboro. Judge David Goodson presided over that hearing...

It's been an exciting 2004 for one of Rector's largest retail businesses -- Glen Sain GMC. The year already was targeted as special by owner Danny Ford since it is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the business, Arkansas' first GMC truck dealership. The highlight of the celebration came in October, when the company gave away a new 2005 GMC truck in a customer appreciation promotion...

The Rector Lady Cougars hit a scoring skid in the middle of their NEA Tournament second round game Tuesday of last week in Jonesboro with the Cavewomen of Cave City, falling 44-36. Cave City held the advantage most of the way, leading after each break -- 14-12, 23-14 and 33-17...